Simply Meant To Be
by KinkerBelle
Summary: Rayne. AU.  River went to the Academy but got herself out early, before the experiments started. So how does her life evolve after that? And how does she meet Jayne? Very high ratings early on!
1. Prolouge: A Twist in Fate

River knocked on the door nervously. She knew she had the right room, and something told her Simon would be home. But she still didn't know quite how he would react to find she had not only run away from home, but come to him.

In her head, she saw two scenarios. In one, he was completely shocked, gave her one of his boring lectures and immediately sent her back home. In the other, he was overjoyed to see her and let her stay as long as she liked. She heard footsteps on the other side of the door and awaited Simon's reaction. As fate would have it, her brother's reaction was a combination of the two scenarios River had thought of.

The door opened and she smiled wide as it revealed her brother. He had been sipping from a glass of water and was so shocked he let it fall right on to the carpet. "Simon!" She said cheerfully.

He let out a shocked bark of laughter and blinked as if to make sure that she was there. 4.543 seconds went by before he beamed at her and hugged her for all he was worth.

"Mei-mei! Oh my goodness! How in the world did you get here?" His arms felt tight around her, as if they couldn't find a way to let her go. River didn't mind. She had missed her brother very much while she had been at the Academy. "I was going to come to the house at the end of the week to spend Christmas morning, why are you…" he trailed off, not able to finish his thoughts. Instead he settled for one he could finish. "I've missed you so much. Father's always said you were lost without me but I'm beginning to think it's the other way around."

Tears welled up in River's eyes. Just the sound of Simon's voice was a huge comfort. "Simon, I… I got back for winter vacation yesterday and you… you weren't home. I've missed you so much. I borrowed one of the cars." Simon pulled back to look at her, still keeping her in the circle of his arms. He tilted his head and considered her. She had run away from home to see him and taken one of his father's collection of cars.

He raised a hand to pet the top of her head and the side of her face. "Life's been so boring without you." He said with a small chuckle. His darling baby sister beamed up at him.

"I read in the Osiris Globe that you reattached a girl's leg last week."

"And yet, still mundane compared to life with my brilliant, bratty mei-mei."

River stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, are you going to invite me in?" She asked teasingly. Simon looked around and realized they were still in his doorway. He blushed.

"Of course, River. Come in." He said, moving away and making room for her to get through. She bent down and picked up a suit case she had with her and strolled into the hallway that led to the rest of his apartment.

"Staying for a while?" He asked while shutting the door, though he knew the answer.

"Yes." She said, smiling at him. Simon rolled his eyes. Naturally, he didn't mind River staying with him. Although it was typically bratty of her to not even ask. He didn't really have any romantic life to speak of so she wouldn't really disrupt anything. He only hoped she wouldn't be bored when he worked all day.

"So, how long are you staying? A couple of days, the rest of the week?"

"In this apartment? Maybe a year. In the building, possibly longer."

Simon tripped over the glass he'd dropped earlier and hit the floor along with his jaw. "What? River you have school! And why do you want to stay with me anyway?" he said, slowly picking himself back up off the floor. River set her luggage down where she stood and sighed as she walked over to help him up. He didn't take her offered hand though, preferring instead to sit on the floor and look at her expectantly. She leaned down to squat beside him.

"I don't like the Academy. I'm not going back."

"Our parents LET you—"

"They don't know yet. I will tell them when we go to see them on Christmas morning."

"River, I don't think that—"

"Simon?"

He paused in his tirade, she looked so serious. "Yes?"

"They were hurting me."

Again, he couldn't believe his ears. "Mei-mei… what? How? What did they do to you?"

"Well… they didn't hurt me yet, but I know! Simon I know they will. They've been taking students one by one. I've faked lower scores so they wouldn't take me until after winter vacation."

Simon gave her his confused eyes. "Take? Take where?"

"Away. My friend Anna went first. She went for a meeting with Dr. Mathias and never came back to the class." Her brother sighed and pinched his nose in frustration.

"Mei-mei, she could have just advanced to another—"

River put her finger to his lips and shushed him. "Let me tell my story. I was planning to tell you over dinner but since you insist on having this conversation on the floor in the hallway, I guess this is how it will happen."

Simon sighed. "Just tell me what's going on."

River settled herself Indian style on the floor and began her story.

"First of all, Anna could not have advanced, we were the advanced. The six of us, in my class, were the top six at the Academy." Simon settled back against the wall and let River continue. "She had been upset with me, wasn't used to being second. Like me, she had always been the best. You know what trouble I have finding friends and… I didn't want her to be angry with me. So I let her surpass me in a physical examination, I tripped and she got the higher score. But she saw right through it anyway, they still took her to Dr. Mathias instead of me. She never came back."

Simon was horrified. "What are you saying? That they harmed her?"

River looked tearful. "I don't know what they did to her! But I can feel… something bad. She's not happy… not healthy! I know it. And I don't want it to happen to me! Simon, please! I'll be quiet, I won't trouble you, just let me stay. When Mother and Father ask if it's a burden, lie and say it isn't." Her tears had spilled over and she was almost sobbing. "I can feel it. You know my feelings and I've never been wrong! They plan on hurting me and I don't want to fade away!" She nearly screamed. River was shaking and crying hard. It tore at her brother's heartstrings fiercely. He would do anything in the 'verse to protect his mei-mei.

He drew her into a hug and stroked her hair, waiting for her tears to subside. When she had calmed down he looked her in the eye, both hands braced on either side of her face. "River, if you don't want to go, I will personally keep you from them. Don't worry. I'll talk it over with father and have you removed. You can stay here with me. The hospital's around the corner and the ballet center is even closer."

"For when River visits." She said, sniffling.

Simon looked at his sister curiously. He spoke and his voice was barely a whisper. "Yes, that's what I thought when I bought this place. I saw the ballet center just across the road and thought 'for when River visits'! How… how did you know that? How do you always know things like that?"

She gave him one of her smiles. He always thought Father was right when used to tell her they were made of starlight.

"Maybe one day I'll tell you, Simon."


	2. A Chance Meeting

Three years later:

River stomped out of the Capital City Ballet Center. She was furious. Her feet were carrying her in a random direction and she didn't even care. The nerve! The gall! That's it, River decided then and there. No more boys her age. No more boys younger then her. No more BOYS. Men! From here on out. She knew that most of what she was feeling was residual bitterness of yet another relationship terminated with a boy her age, but now that she thought on it, it did seem the most logical solution.

Males her age were so intimidated by her knowledge… or her money… or her skill with dance. In her storm of anger, she was still holding on to the very vague and (even to her) ridiculous notion that maybe older men would be different. Maybe they would just be… better. The realization of such infantile and unfounded conjecture inside her own head made River screech softly, and that felt very good. To just scream.

She was in the middle of a busy street and couldn't even care less. Social reputation be damned, she was breaching the acceptable society limits of the city anyway. She walked faster in a direction she was barely even half aware of. As she walked she could feel herself practically steaming with anger. After a good ten minutes of walking in an undetermined direction, she paused and looked up at the grimy bar in front of her.

The lower west side of Capital City was home to maybe 100 of these types of establishments. Her warm breathe made clouds in the cold night air. She wasn't wearing much under her winter coat. She'd stormed out of rehearsal after all. Just her black dancing shorts and a red tank top. They were blocking her new show, so it was not like she needed to be in a leotard.

She considered the place in front of her. Maybe she would go in, have herself a drink. Simon would disapprove and sputter. The girls at the company would shriek. A well bred girl like her in an establishment like this? Unbelievable. Well, damn them! Damn them and their prissy society boys who were only interested in her for her status! If she wanted a gorram drink, she'd have a gorram drink! She'd just turned 18, so it was legal, though she'd had more than her fair share of alcohol at company galas and such before the legal age requirement was met.

She had some ID on her but hoped she could just pass for her age. She'd heard enough horror stories about society girls flaunting their status in the lower west side to know keeping a low profile was the best plan. With a determined grin, she walked inside. The heat was a vast relief. It was stuffy, almost humid, but hat was a wonderful change from the frost bitten night air.

The inside of the bar matched the establishment's exterior. Which meant it was mildly repulsive, but for River, that was a bit of a thrill. She slipped her black coat off and hung it up on the rack by the door, taking a chance that would have horrified Simon and assuming that it would be there when she returned for it. She gathered her nerve and walked over to the bar. The whole room was slightly smoky and reeked of cheap alcohol. All around the place the patrons' foreheads were starting to bead with sweat. And what must have passed for a dance floor was covered in a slight haze of warmed second hand smoke. Fortunately though, that's what River was looking for. Something as far away as possible from the stuffy ballet center she'd been cooped up in for three years.

There were only two seats left at the bar. One was between a small man of about sixty with graying hair mumbling agitatedly into his large drink and a girl who looked to be of a questionable profession. The other was at the very end of the bar, next to a large, muscular... rather handsome man who was probably in his late thirties. River jumped up and took that seat before someone else did. She figured it was her best bet for a quiet drink.

The young female bartender was mid-flirt with the large man beside her and didn't notice her right away. The tall blonde woman blushed at something he'd said about her attractiveness and looked away momentarily. She noticed River then.

"Hiya. What'll it be?" She said, reluctantly picking up her duties. River considered her options. Bad whiskey, bad wine, or bad beer. Well, she hated beer in the first place and cheep wine tended to make her sick. So... whiskey it was.

"Whiskey, straight." The blonde nodded and set a glass in front of River. She poured some whiskey into it and moved to continue her conversation with the man beside her. River was discontented with the amount in the glass though.

"Uh, can you make that a double?" The blonde grinned at her and poured some more alcohol into her glass.

"Hard day?" she asked.

"It wasn't the best ever, no." The blonde tilted her head and narrowed her eyes before guessing her troubles.

"Men or work?" River laughed softly, a touch of bitterness evident in the sound.

"A combination of both."

The blonde nodded sympathetically. "Hate when that happens. Just aint fair."

River took a sip of her drink, finding it not half bad. "I'm slowly finding out just how unfair the 'verse is." She replied. There was a sort of long pause.

"That bad?" The man beside her inquired. River turned to him and was startled by the blue-ness of his eyes. He was a little bit more than handsome, she realized. She registered the blonde being hailed further down the bar but the man in front of her had her whole attention.

"Uh, yes."

"What'd he do? If'n... ya don't mind me askin', that is." River caught on quickly that he was flirting with her. Simon would have a coronary. But… gorammit, she was enjoying the prospect of some positive male attention today. What was the harm? She answered him.

"Well, I'm a dancer. I work at the Center a few blocks from here. I was choreographing a show and the man in question did not approve of the way I was doing it. Or whom I had cast as the lead… because it wasn't him."

Blue Eyes grinned. "So... he made an ass out of himself. How?"

River giggled a little, finally being able to tell someone the story was rather therapeutic. No one she worked with would believe it, really. Timothy was a nice boy of good breeding, and she was the weird genius who had surpassed them all within months of her arrival there.

They didn't so much like her as tolerate her and the good press she brought the company. If she were to alert anyone of his horrid behavior it was more likely that she would be chastised for participating in a relationship with a co-worker and that more than anything else drove her up a wall.

"Well, first he accosted me in the hallway. I was just leaving the restroom and he came out of no where and pinned me to a wall. Tried to worm his way into a bigger part in the show."

The man beside her smirked. River tried not to drool. "First? Like... there's more?"

She nodded. "Then when I slapped him and told him to stop he stormed away and insulted me. So, after even all this, I'm half way through blocking the first act and he has to lift me. He purposefully dropped me and then insinuated it was because I was too heavy."

Blue Eyes raised an eyebrow and River was thankful she was sitting down, her knees felt weak. "Well. I've been told I aint the sharpest tool in the shed before but I don't think I've ever got masself on the bad side've a purty woman quite that thoroughly."

River laughed with him. "It was a masterful job, indeed." She said, smiling at him shyly.

"Well, Miss-- uh, what's yer name?"

"River. River Tam." She said, offering her hand to him and smiling what Simon called her smile made of starlight. He sat stunned for a second. _Got you._ River thought as he regained his senses.

"Well, River, t'was wonderin' if'n… since yer a dancer and all, if ya'd like to take a spin with me." He said, tilting his head to indicate the run down dance floor behind him. Regardless of the terrible state of the floor, River blushed and accepted his offer, on one condition.

"If you tell me your name, I'd gladly."

He chuckled and it sent thrills down River's spine. "Jayne Cobb, at yer service."

Jayne pushed her passionately against her own door. His lips captured hers a she felt as if a fire was consuming her. He was so physical, nothing like the Core boys she had dated before. Her arms found their way around his neck and she rubbed herself against him. He groaned and his hand found its way beneath her tank top. He only stroked her rib cage and still she gasped and shuddered. He was such a force.

An arm left his neck and tried to open the door. One of her hands held her electronic key and she kept trying to slide it through but she couldn't seem to get a grasp for where anything was other than the parts of the man in front of her. Concentrating very hard, she slipped the card through and the door behind her gave way. In an effort to keep her upright, Jayne wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up briefly, walking them both into her apartment.

Not for the first time, River was thankful that she moved out of Simon's and into her own apartment down the hall when she accepted her position in the company. Jayne broke the kiss to nibble at her neck. River couldn't believe what he'd said about not kissing on the mouth often. He was a superb kisser. The pair stumbled into the bedroom and River shook herself out of her coat, leaving her in her tank top, shorts, and dance flats. As she toed off her shoes Jayne found a particularly sensitive spot on her neck, near her ear and just under her jaw line.

She moaned and her knees buckled. The feel of his deep chuckle rumbling against her chest only aroused her further. They fell back on the bed and River giggled as they bounced. Jayne found it funny as well and River used his momentary distraction to turn the tables on him. Wrapping her legs around his hips she rolled them over so she sat straddling him.

His eyes glowed darkly. It was so new to her, a man passionate about just her. Not her money or her social status or her fame as a dancer. _Just her_. It did more than a little to fuel the fire her provoked in her.

River slid down to his feet, removing his boots and socks with an agility that was rare to Jayne. She touched the tops of his feet then slid down to his ankles and up over his pants. She slinked forward on all fours, making her way up his body, stopping to rub her face into his hip. Jayne thought she looked like a giant cat, rubbin' up against him all lean muscle and scent, streamline and… deadly. That's what she felt like to him, like holding Vera for the first time. The sensation threw his head back against her headboard.

River knew an opportunity when she saw one, and so she darted forward to lick at his neck in one long line. He growled and she felt it all through her body, from her chest down to much deeper areas. She loved his taste, it was making her dizzy. Like the barest sheen of sweat and something else, something male. Alpha male. He pulled her close as he could get her with one hand and grabbed at her bottom with the other, unintentionally giving the slightest of caresses to the spot between her legs.

River groaned loudly. The sound went straight to Jayne's cock. It was mere seconds before her top and shorts were off and forgotten on the floor. It struck her then how odd this was. She was not the kind of girl who did this sort of thing. Bringing a man home she'd only just met that night to have sex with him? Never. But… but ever since she'd laid eyes in him she'd felt swept up in him. Like he was the great storm and she was helpless against him. It wasn't a wholly unpleasant feeling.

With a single rolling motion, Jayne had flipped them over and somehow undid her bra. The straps slackened and she threw it away from her. The man on top of her sat back on his haunches and gazed longingly at her before he pulled his shirt off almost violently and covered her torso with his. The rub of his chest hair against her nipples made her squirm and desperate to kiss him once more. He tilted his head down and she sighed with contentment as his tongue played with hers.

Her hands reached between him to get his pants undone. Many failed attempts later she registered that their bodies were just too close together for that to work. She pushed at his shoulders and he sat up. A confused frown crossed his face. He was panting and out of breathe.

"What's wrong?" he asked. And River found it mildly amusing that he'd taken her action as meaning that she wanted to stop. She smirked a little bit.

"Your pants are still covering you, that's what's wrong."

Jayne let out a surprised bark of laughter and River grinned at him. Then, in a move that she even shocked herself with, she bent over and undid his button and fly with her teeth. A string of raspy Mandarin curses from Jayne made her giggle. His gaze locked on hers and River felt at least ten degrees hotter with the look he was giving her. Her whole body felt tight and hot and her panties were soaked through.

She pushed his pants and boxers down as far as they would go with him still kneeling and his erection came free, rubbing against her cheek. Still looking deep into his intense blue eyes, she licked from the base to the tip, bold in ways she never knew she was. She sucked on his tip, the feel of him hot and softer than expected in her mouth was enough to make her eyes roll back into her head. She didn't understand, this was never something she'd cared to experiment with any of the other boys she'd been with. They hadn't instilled in her the fire that Jayne did.

But it felt good to know that she instilled a fire in him too. She could tell by the way his whole body jerked and his hand funneled into her hair… almost gently. She opened her eyes to gaze at him and he stole her breathe away. He pulled her up the length of his body urgently and laid her down on the bed. He crawled over her and the play of his muscles under his skin made her shiver.

Jayne locked eyes with her and rested his forehead on hers. He settled between her legs and a hand came down to test her readiness. He slipped two fingers inside her panties and when he found her soaking, he pressed a hot open kiss to her lips. In the space one violent and stunningly erotic moment he had ripped her panties off and tossed them on the floor. River was so excited she could barely contain herself. She had never wanted a man inside her this badly.

Her legs came up so her feet were firmly planted on the mattress on either side of him. He smirked like the predator he was and finally pushed inside her. River screamed in utter pleasure. Jayne's breathing was intensely labored and his arms were having a difficult time holding him up. It might have been the alcohol but it was most likely how tight she was. He'd never felt anything like it. She was so hot and wet and his head was spinning with the pressure that was pressing all around him. His head fell down into the crook of her neck and shoulder and he held himself still for a moment.

"Wuh de tyen, ah!" River murmured. She could hardly see straight. When Jayne started moving inside her she lost all semblance of control. One leg came up to rest hooked over his shoulder without her knowledge as the other one locked around his lower back, the flexibility involved was second nature to her. She left her body completely open to him now.

Jayne couldn't believe that thing she was doing with her legs. It was honestly the most gorram erotic thing he'd ever seen, and he'd been around the block a few times. His thrusts came harder and River was getting closer, if her increasing moans and cries were something to go by. Jayne breathed deep and tired very hard to control himself. She really gave as good as she got, meeting his thrusts and matching his fierce rhythm. He thought in that moment he was closer to heaven than a man like him outta get.

River was lost, in feelings and sensation. She felt her orgasm building with every passing second. But it had never felt this strong before. Normally she wasn't very vocal, but Jayne had her wailing for him. Jayne was just about ready to explode and he wanted her to come with him. One hand snaked between their bodies and burrowed in her folds to find her clit. He pushed and rubbed in circles and she came apart beneath him. Her walls clamped down on him and Jayne felt like his heart had just exploded. Moreover, like he would give anything for it to happen again.

For a few seconds, River's world was all colors she had never seen before. Lights and dreams of another time and stars in the inky blackness of space. Pleasure like she'd never known rocked every part of her. And then she blacked out. Only for a minute.

Jayne woke her up. "Girlie." He rasped and she woke with a gasp. "Y'alright?" he said, collapsing just to the right of her.

She took a few deep breathes and nodded. "What… what just happened?" River said dreamily. Jayne chuckled. River got the impression that was about all he was capable of right now.

"Really good sex." He murmured sleepily, pulling River to him and tucking her under his arm. River nuzzled her nose into his chest, the course hair there tickled her nose and she giggled softly.

"If that was sex, I don't know what I've been having before this."

Jayne nearly glowed with masculine pride. "Sure as hell weren't Jayne Cobb, sweetheart." He felt more than saw her wide smile against his chest.

"You have to leave in the morning, right? For Whitefall?" She whispered sleepily. Jayne sighed and held onto her a little tighter.

"Yeah. Believe me darlin' when I say I'd rather stay here with you for a while longer."

River shrugged, though with the exhaustion she was feeling it was more like a twitch of her shoulders. "Wake me before you leave." She said, falling asleep even as she said it.

As she nodded off she had time to hope he'd heard her. She was met with a snore and assumed he hadn't. But she couldn't form a response because she was already asleep. But he had heard her. Loud and clear.

It wasn't but four or five hours later when Jayne awoke. Just in time to hustle his ass on back to Serenity. He moved a little to stretch and encountered a very warm body lying next to his. Last night came back to him and he hardened at just the thought.

River Tam, pretty little Core girl wandered into a dive like that, danced him into a frenzy and then sexed him up like he wouldn't have thought possible. He still couldn't figure that thing she'd done with her leg. He moved out a'tha bed and searched the room for his clothes.

The boxers and pants were in a pile just off the edge of the bed and he snatched 'em up and put 'em on. Next he found his socks and boots along with a pair of underwear ripped clean down the middle that made him smirk and chuckle a bit. Sitting on the edge of the bed he glanced back at the still sleeping girl while slipping his socks on.

She was a wonder, even got him to kiss her on the mouth. How'd a punk like him get so lucky to find a gal like that? One helluva natural beauty, all pale skin and silky soft brown hair. She was somethin' tiny too, few feet shorter than him and maybe weighed 90 lbs soaking wet. Had to, she was a dancer if he recalled correctly, a ballerina. If he recalled somethin' else correctly too, she had wanted him to wake her before he left.

He leaned over and shook her softly. Her eyes shot open and slowly focused on him.

"Are you leaving?" She said, voice sleep laden and groggy.

"Reckon I am." She scowled at him and Jayne thought it musta been the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"Just a minute." She mumbled, turning over and fumbling around in a drawer in the nightstand. She rolled back over with a pad of paper and a pen. She scribbled something on the pad and ripped the paper away, handing it to him with a flourish. "It's my personal frequency, wave me when you're back on Osiris." She yawned, and her head fell back on the pillow.

Jayne sat stunned for a second or two. No girl had ever… well, most likely because he'd always paid for his company before. But still… it was… a real nice feeling. "I think I will." He muttered, half to himself. But River heard him.

"Jing-tsai." She said softly. And with that, she'd fallen asleep once more. Jayne chuckled and scooped his shirt off the floor. He pulled it on and snatched his coat off a chair just outside the bedroom. Before leaving, he stole once last glance at River sleeping. Gorram lucky hun dan he was.

He grinned as he slipped quietly through her apartment and out her door. In the elevator down he examined the wave frequency and beamed at the small slip of paper. It wasn't even a question as to whether he'd be using it or not.


	3. An Invitation and a Discovery

Jayne worried the small scrap of paper in his large palm. It had been handled so much in the past month it has lost the feel of paper and started to feel more like cloth. The numbers in pen were clear as ever though and Jayne had already punched them into the Wave screen in front of him. He sat alone on Serenity's bridge.

It was late enough to be early and he had been stuck with the graveyard shift as punishment for Kaylee muckin' up a bit in the last job. Although Mal typically assumed that it was Jayne's fault. She'd slipped up in the tellin' of their story to the buyers and it'd tipped them off that Serenity's crew wasn't really legit. It weren't too big a deal though. He didn't mind takin' some heat for little Kaylee. Matter o' fact, it was doin' him some good, cuz it meant he got to be up here alone to finally make some time to call up River.

He'd deny it 'till after his last breathe, but he was nervous. What if she'd forgotten, what if she was just being nice, what if…? He fingered the piece of paper and grunted in frustration. Just be a man about it. Hit "send" already would ya? Big gorram pussy, ya can't just call the ruttin' girl? The mercenary took a large breathe in and hit send. Immediately he regretted it. Those seven or eight seconds it took to connect were downright terrifying. He shook himself, Gorramit, he was a merc. A big bad, nasty, scary, vicious, mercenary and no little slip of a girl was gonna get him all nervous!

The screen in front of him flickered into life and he was greeted by River's living room… empty of River. Quickly though, she appeared in the screen. A frown of confusion on her pretty face. When she saw him though, she lit up.

"Jayne! Hi." She said, smiling that smile he thought he'd forgotten and it swept him away all over again.

"Hey there, girl. How are ya?"

She shrugged. "I'm fine. I just finished with rehearsal."

There was a moment's pause. "That hun dan still giving you trouble?" He asked. She giggled a little bit and Jayne raised an eyebrow.

"I cut him from the show. He was a minor part anyway."

Jayne smirked. He hadn't really gotten to know her all too well that night, but so far he was liking her. "Good work, darlin'." She blushed a little bit when he called her darlin'.

"Are you…" She ducked her head down and her hair swung forward to hide an embarrassed grin. "Are you back on Osiris?" He smiled and because the screen only showed her from the waist up, he couldn't see her knees shaking a tiny bit.

"No, in 'bout a week I will be, though." She bit her lip and suddenly Jayne wanted desperately to do the same.

"Um… that's… quite a coincidence." She murmured.

"Why?"

"That's when my show opens." Jayne's heart dropped into his stomach. She'd be so busy, she certainly wouldn't have time for him.

"I take it you'll be awful busy." He said, scowling.

River frowned at him. "Well, obviously during my performance, yes. But… afterwards… if you would like to meet up I don't see why we couldn't meet" She ended hopefully. Jayne grinned.

"That sounds… a'right." River was glowing. Even over a Wave he could see how she just radiated light.

"Actually, if you'd like to come to my performance, I certainly have tickets. No one but Simon ever comes."

Simon? Who the hell was that? River saw his snarl of worry and giggled a little. "He's my brother, the trauma surgeon."

"In Capital City, right." Jayne grunted, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"So, would you like to come?"

"Uh… I aint never been to a ballet thing before." He admitted gruffly. She shrugged and the corners of her mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Experience in these matters is irrelevant. Participation will only lead to knowledgeable instances." Jayne frowned. What?

River's cheeks instantly turned pink. "Um… sorry. I meant… that there's a first time for everything." Jayne looked down at his scuffed boots, waiting out the awkward moment.

"What do I wear to a shindig like that?"

"It's a black tie affair."

Jayne groaned. "I don' wear monkey suits…" her face fell and he almost kicked himself "all that often. You gon' force me ta get all fancified, Miss Tam?" He finished in a rush, playfully ribbing her.

She giggled in response. "Only if you want to come."

He sighed a little bit. "Sure. I'll be there with bells on." _With BELLS on?_ He wanted to slap himself just for saying it.

She clapped her hands in girlish delight. "Thank you, Jayne! You'll love it, I'm positive! And you won't even have to go to the after party, I can easily duck out of that. And I'll get you box seats with a perfect view of the stage, and I'll ask Simon to be nice and I can even reserve tickets for the rest of your crew!" Jayne watched the girl babble like a champ, he was pretty sure she hadn't yet taken a breath. She was so… excited. He wondered if anyone ever came to watch her, just for her. Maybe that brother of hers.

"Uh… I mean, I'd have to ask them, I dunno what they'd say."

"What we'd say about what?" A voice said from behind him. Jayne nearly jumped out of his skin he was so surprised. He whipped around fast enough that he knew his neck was gonna pay the price later and had his gun on Mal and Zoe before he could find half a second to wonder where they'd come from. He sighed heavily and scowled at them.

"Jesus Mal, don't scare a fella like that. Like to get yerself shot at."

"I'm used to that at this point, Jayne. So, where's this pretty gal invitin' us, and why?"

"How long ya been standin' behind me?" He grumped.

"Jus' walked in now." The Captain said sunnily, waving jauntily to River who looked a little confused but waved back shyly.

"Uh… River… dances… and there are… tickets…." He said, incredibly awkward.

Zoe raised an eyebrow at him and smirked a little bit. "What?" She said.

River gracefully took up the explanation. "I'm a dancer. Jayne says that the next time your crew docks on Osiris, I will have a performance. I invited him and when he said he would like to come I extended the invitation to the rest of your crew."

"A _dancer_." Mal said slowly. And Jayne could see the wheels turning in his smutty head. He was on the fast track to asking if she was a stripper, and Jayne could see that ending badly.

"Yeah, she's a ballerina." Jayne gritted out, telling Mal with his eyes to keep his trap shut. Never one to pick up on any social cues, Mal's eyebrows shot up exaggeratedly.

"_Ballerina._"

River frowned a little bit, and Jayne was having no problem with the fact that Mal was coming off like a real idiot.

"Yes, sir. With the OCBC. "

"Beg pardon?"

"The Osiris Core Ballet Company." The Captain looked shocked. He made a face at Jayne. An oh-you-were-serious face. And Jayne made it clear by expression alone what a hun dan he was making of himself. Mal didn't take kindly to that.

"Aw, gee Miss." Mal said, and Jayne wanted to kick in his teeth for that fake and gorram near insulting smile he was smiling at River. "That'd be real shiny. We'd love to." Jayne threw a fierce glare and Mal and the Captain actually moved half a step back, and he lost the smile too.

Zoe looked deeply amused. "How do you and Jayne… uh, know each other?" She asked, keeping a huge smile down. Jayne sneered at her. He got it, how did dumb rim-born Jayne even meet this kind of girl, let alone impress her enough to voluntarily spend time with him? Just because he occasionally wondered that himself didn't mean he was keen on other folks talkin' on it out loud.

"We're old friends." He said, a nasty expression fixed on his face. But he smoothed it out when he turned back to River. "Aint that right, darlin'?"

She surveyed the scene with interest and nodded, appeasing him. "Indeed. So I'll have those tickets reserved in your name at the door. How many are there of you?"

Jayne did a quick mental inventory. Five crew plus Inara, and he figured she'd like that sorta thing, plus Mal would go non-verbal seeing her all decked out for a night at the ballet. Non-verbal Mal was gonna be a key factor in surviving this nightmare.

"Six"

River's eyes widened in delight. Six people coming to see her.

"Wonderful! And… I'll see you in a week, Jayne?" She said, a teasing little smile firmly in place. He smiled at her; she just pulled him right out of his foul mood.

"Yeah, babe. 'Till then." River smiled in that dazzling way once more and cut the connection. Jayne cut his and turned to his Captain and the first mate. They were looking real damn curious. Jayne sighed, this couldn't end well.

Five and a half days later found the crew as they were plus Inara around the table in the galley. Jayne had his feet up on the table with his chair balancing on the two back legs. Wash looked up from his breakfast to address everyone.

"Five hours max. until we're parked on Osiris, guys." Everyone turned to Mal and gave him a look. He'd been mighty secretive about this whole caper and with just five hours to get it right, everyone was a touch nervous. Jayne wouldn't have been surprised if Wash had gotten them there early on purpose, just to get it out of Mal what the gorram plan was.

Mal sighed and stood up. Jayne rocked back and forth idly on the two back chair legs while he started going over their latest caper.

"So we're gonna drop these goods with our middle man, Jameson, yeah? He's gonna hold 'em for two days while negotiations hold up. Once the highest bidder gets these good and he gets paid, we're gonna get paid, dong ma? Now droppin' these off is like to be a mite tricky on account o' this chemical we're pushin' aint 'xactly legal on the core."

Inara frowned and stopped fussin' with her tea cup behind him. She sounded confused. "Chlorotetra Hydride is perfectly legal on Osiris. It's a common basis for medicine." Mal looked irritated.

"They teach you that at Whore School?"

The look on Inara's face made Jayne chuckle. "Oh Mal, so witty and original. You really keep me on the tip of my toes wondering what you'll say next."

Mal grinned at her in mock-pride. Then turned back to his crew. "But she does got a point. It's not legal cuz the Alliance don't wanna let anyone else transport it, too valuable and they want thems profits all to themselves. So no tellin' folk what we're transportin' right out, yeah? We clear on this?"

There was a chorus of general agreement. "And so, that leaves us two shiny days in the middle that we don't got nothin' to do but sit and wait. And originally I was gonna keep ya'll on this boat like we usually do when we hit the Core. But, it appears our Jayne has now procured us some alternative entertainment." All eyes snapped to Jayne and he got uncomfortable of a sudden, his rocking stilled.

Kaylee looked excited, Inara looked confused, Zoe and Wash looked amused. Jayne shifted in his seat a little bit. "Uh, ya'll wanna go ta the ballet?" There was a shock wave that went around the room that Jayne might have found chuckle worthy if he weren't the cause of it.

Kaylee spoke first. "Oh yeah! Can we get dressed up?"

"Kinda hafta, I think."

Kaylee just about burst with happiness and leaped up to hug Jayne so tight he nearly choked. Powerful grip that girl had on her. "Oh this is gonna be so SHINY, Jayne! I've never been to a ballet before! Oh my goodness what am I gonna wear? What's it about? How did ya even get the tickets?!" Girl hadn't taken a single breathe yet. He found it cuter on River.

"Yeah, Jayne, I think I'm curious too." Wash murmured, for once, not a bit sarcastic.

Jayne came up short on an answer for that. He didn't really have a label for what River was to him… he told Mal they was old friends but obviously that weren't the truth. He could tell the honest truth and say that the best sex of his life was ballerina who was just plain generous, but he didn't like the way that sounded even in his head. River was a bit more than that, even if he didn't have a label ready for her. Mal answered for him though.

"Apparently, he's got a friend what's in the show."

Kaylee smiled even wider. "Shiny! Can we meet him?!"

Jayne scowled. "_Her_. Woman, not man."

Unmoved, Kaylee pressed on. "Can we meet her?"

Again, uncomfortableness. The merc was sure River wouldn't mind one bit, seein' as she was so happy to have folk comin' in the first place. But he didn't know if he quite wanted to… share her. River Tam was his gem of a discovering and while he had no right viewin' her as 'his', he still did. Inara saved him from that question with one of her own.

"Wait, what's the name of the show?" Jayne vaguely remembered River telling him that in the bar the night they'd met, sometime between the dancing and the sexing.

It was on the tip of his tongue. "Um… Trip Underground? I think." Inara's looked at him with no small amount of doubt.

"Journey to the Underworld?! River Tam's new production?" She enthused.

Jayne nodded, wondering how she knew too. Mal looked at her sideways. "How do you know River Tam?"

Inara shot Mal a completely withering glance, one that seemed to state he was clearly of no importance in the universe at large. "How do **I** know River Tam? I'm sorry, are you acquainted personally with the Tam family?"

Mal scowled at her. "And what if I am? Tha'd be difficult to consider, would it?"

"Not terribly, I'm sorry what was her brother's name again? And his profession?" Mal glared at her fiercely. Jayne grinned widely. And after a long pause he got the opportunity to do somethin' rare and wonderful, out-do the Captain.

"Simon's a trauma surgeon in Capital City." He said, with a tone that might have been helpful, had it not been uncontrollably smug. Inara looked a tiny bit surprised but spurned her inquiries in favor of throwing an equally smug look in Mal's direction.

"So we've covered that Jayne is indeed a friend of River's. We've yet to determine if you are a friend, however."

Mal looked like he'd just eaten something bitter. "Not as such, but she seemed awful nice over the Wave consol when Jayne and I had a chat with her." The companion looked as if she had immense trouble believing that.

Inara took a seat at the table with a small smile. Kaylee diffused the tension in the room as per usual. "What's she like?" Kaylee asked Jayne.

He got a tad bit awkward. "Well, she's real pretty… um, funny. Nice." Even to his own ears it sounded lame. He realized as he grappled for information how little he knew about River's personality. He could probably divulge in detail every last damn thing about her body, from what spot she was ticklish (just behind her knee) to the sound she made when she came (that gorram sexy gasp). But somehow he thought they wouldn't be too keen on hearin' that. He latched onto the one thing he really did know about her.

"You'd like her, Kaylee. She's really…"

"Sweet." Jayne looked startled as Inara said the word in unison with him. But he nodded anyway. Kaylee looked so excited she might just burst.

"Oh! Tell me more!" Thankfully, she'd directed this at Inara. The companion seemed to light up from the inside. For the first time ever, Jayne saw her mask slip a bit as she gushed.

"River? She's absolutely, without question, the most famous ballerina in the Core. She does choreography, production, dances, sets the music. She's a genius."

Wash laughed. "Tell us what you really think Inara."

Mal seemed in the mood to put Inara down, as usual. "She's a gorram 'genius' cuz she can make up a couple dances and write some songs?"

Inara didn't even pause to consider his snippy tone. "Actually, she's literally a genius. A child prodigy. Well, now an adult prodigy. Her IQ is something like the second highest in the galaxy. For years as a child she went through school after school in which she surpassed everyone, including the faculty. Then for a few months she went to some government sponsored academy, then came back without a word as to why." The companion spoke this in hushed tones, like it was some huge bit of gossip. Maybe on the Core it was.

Jayne rocked more fervently on his chair legs, trying to digest all the information. Second highest IQ in the galaxy? Inara weren't prone to exaggeration so it must have been true enough to share. It's not like he thought River was dumb or anything, but it was a weird sensation to think that somebody with a brain the size of a small moon had the bad sense to take a hun dan like him home. Maybe they were a special case. Inara continued the story despite Jayne's growing inner turmoil.

"After that, she enrolled in the Osiris Ballet Academy. And she was a member of the company by fifteen. That's unheard of. Earning a spot in the company is known to take trained professionals years at best. I saw her first creation, her first ballet that she designed… a reproduction of the famous piece Giselle from Earth That Was. I was astounded. I must have cried for an hour afterwards. I swear she moved me to tears. There is no dancer like her out there. She's already made history and she's only eighteen."

Only eighteen??! Only _eighteen_??! Jayne's feet fell off the table and his chair came crashing down onto the floor. Inara stopped to stare at him curiously. He waved her off and motioned to continue the story, all the while having heart palpitations.

Eighteen was legal, right? RIGHT? _Oh… GOD_, thought Jayne, _please let eighteen be legal!_

"So she's good?" Kaylee asked.

"She's extraordinary. You're all in for a real experience. I'm terribly jealous." She admitted, smiling though.

Jayne was too busy thinking of how he was probly gonna burn in hell or jail or both to give that much more thought than was required. "Yer coming with, got ya a ticket." He said distractedly. "Less'n ya got a client."

Inara smiled brightly. And it was a mark to how distressed Jayne was that he didn't notice or milk it at all. "Well, that's wonderful! Thank you, Jayne."

"Yeah." He muttered in return, getting up and leaving the room. The crew looked after him strangely and Inara voiced the question that was burning inside her. "I wonder how they met." She murmured softly.

Mal looked put out. "No quesitonin' as to if _Jayne_ knows the girl but I gotta get put through the third degree?"

Zoe threw a wry look in Mal's direction. "Sir, he does know her. And you… well, don't." Inara hid her hearty chuckle behind her hand delicately.

"Yeah, but she din' know that." Mal muttered, jerking a thumb in Inara's direction.

"It's obvious that he knows her. He got the tickets and he knows Simon. Or presumably, River had told him about Simon. They're very close. If you know River, it's likely you know Simon."

"Whose Simon? That her brother the doctor?" Kaylee seemed interested. Inara nodded gently.

"Yes, he'll probably be at the ballet. He never misses one of River's shows. Especially not an opening night." Kaylee went off into a tizzy of girly-like excitement.

Jayne jogged the whole way to his bunk and spent a good long time pacing back and forth like a caged animal. What was he gonna do? What was he gonna do? He'd have to talk to her before hand. What had Wash said, five hours until they were parked? Jayne figured maybe an hour at most to deliver their goods. And then he could find her.

"His name is what?"

River sighed and threw a scornful look at her brother over her shoulder as she retrieved some ingredients from her refrigerator. Wednesday morning breakfast was something of a tradition for them. For almost two years Wednesday had been his morning off and her day off. It was always held in River's kitchen. She cooked up breakfast while he sat on the other side of the cooking island and sipped his coffee. Simon was hopeless in a kitchen. The only thing he could make was coffee strong enough to wake the dead, or as the case may have been, stay awake at three in the morning to reattach someone's foot. Trauma surgery never had a specific time range. But that's why when he came to River's, she made the coffee. Simon was looking at his sister in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, River, you met someone and his name was what?"

"Jayne. His name was Jayne."

Simon set his coffee cup down and leaned forward to stare at her. "Jayne is a girl's name."

River returned his skeptical look with a smug one. "Well trust me, Jayne is not a girl."

Her brother's hand flew to his heart. "River! You didn't…"

She laughed brightly. "Yes, Simon, I did."

His voice was a shocked whisper. "In this apartment?!"

She couldn't stop laughing. "No, in the elevator! Of course in this apartment."

Simon's eyes flew around and he hastily removed his hands from the counter and looked at it warily. "Where?"

River collapsed back against the refrigerator giggling. Simon, her dear, dear ge ge, was SUCH an easy mark.

"In the bed, you pervert." Simon relaxed and put his hands back on the counter. "Then of course on the counter." She added, fibbing to see his face go white. He did not disappoint.

He shot back form the table and then noticed her laughter had doubled. He threw her a harsh look. "That was not funny, you brat."

She stumbled back over to the counter, wiping away the tears of mirth forming at the corners of her eyes. "You don't know what humor is then, Simple Simon." She used her favorite nickname for him. He rolled his eyes and took his seat once more.

"So, he's going to be at the show?"

"Yes." She said, laying the ingredients down and beginning preparation for waffles, which were Simon's favorite.

"And what is his last name?" Simon said, affecting a faux innocent look and averting his eyes as I the subject didn't interest him at all. River could play that game.

"Why should it matter?" She said lightly, measuring out a cup of flour out. Simon twitched under her significantly better played indifference.

"It shouldn't." He said tightly, waiting for her response which never came. He sighed in frustration. "It shouldn't, but you know it does. This can't go anywhere if he isn't from a respectable family, River."

River put down her measuring cup to glare at him. "You are a snob and a half, Simon Tam!"

Simon glared right back at her. "River, this is not a game! Father wants you engaged and settled within the year, you know that."

"What I know is that I am not obligated to do anything! I am completely free to do whatever I please. I have a job, I have an apartment which I pay for and I've paid you and father back in full for everything you've ever given me. There is no one person that controls anything I do. And there will not be, not now nor anytime in the future."

Simon pounded his fist on the table. Not hard, his hands were his career, after all. "River, please!"

"He's not from any respectable family Simon, he's just a man I met that I liked. I'm sorry that doesn't meet your standards!"

"Mei mei, please listen to me. You are the most eligible bachelorette in Capital City. You come from excellent breeding, you are famous throughout the Core. There is no one you couldn't arrange a betrothal to if you had a mind to. I'm not talking about marriage right now, I'm talking about sometime. But it must be arranged soon."

River looked at her very serious brother and held back tears. "And if I refuse to?"

Simon squirmed and looked at her sadly. "Then father will have no choice but to disown you. It's the law of Osiris. The daughter of a man whose income and impact on society is of a certain level must be betrothed by her nineteenth year or she has no place in the family. Father can't stand the thought of losing you, River. Please."

He reached across the counter and took her slightly flour dusted hand and squeezed it gently. River let her tears spill over. Her freedom and her independence were of the utmost importance to her. She hated when he brought this subject up, it hurt to think about that day ahead when she would still not have changed her mind. It was not in who she was to marry someone who she did not love. River let go of Simon's hand and continued to mix the waffle batter.

"Simon, I don't want to have this conversation. We have so little time together as is. And we will have less when you are married. I don't want what time we have left to be spoiled. Let's just have breakfast."

Simon nodded awkwardly and settled back into his chair. He broke into the silence a few moments later with a hesitant tone. "I know that I will have to move out of the apartment complex when I marry Amanda. I won't be a floor away but I hope you know that I will make time for you."

River sighed and shrugged a little bit. "You can only make time from what little time you have Simon." His shoulders slumped in defeat and he went back to staring at his slowly draining coffee cup. They had their breakfast in silence and then he left for the hospital.

River had left over batter and continued to make waffles, needing something methodical with clear steps to follow to take her mind off of her discussion with her brother. When she had finished, she paced nervously for several minutes before grabbing her light coat and slipping on a pair of sandals. She needed a walk. Imagine her surprise when she opened her door to find Jayne on the other side, his hand raised as if just about to knock.

"Hi" She said, smiling.

"Hi" he said.

They stared at each other for a moment. "Come in." She said, completely forgetting about her walk. This was a much better plan.


	4. All Over Again

Jayne looked at the door in front of him. It seemed like it was right. End of the hall, blue door, number 300. What little he remembered about his surroundings from that night with River was summed up in the doorway in front of him. He kicked his foot against the soft green carpet of the hallway floor. He'd gotten it into his head to see her, talk to her, but now that he'd dropped off the goods with Mal and gotten to her building… he was sort of at a loss as to what he should do.

He raised a large fist to knock, but just before his hand hit the wood, he lowered it, biting his lip and cursing softly. The merc steeled himself. One. Two. Two and a half. Two and three quarters. Three! Without knocking once, the door swung open and River stood there, looking shocked. Her hair was a lighter shade of brown in the sunlight. And her eyes were larger looking. Her skin looked soft as ever. She wore a short red sundress that swirled around her perfect legs prettily.

_Eighteen_, Jayne reminded himself. _She's eighteen!_ She was eighteen and her eyes looked a tad red, like maybe she'd had herself a good cry a few hours ago. Jayne couldn't figure as to why but, that made his stomach squeeze him a bit. Best he could figure to was that it just wouldn't do to have his River crying. Even if she was a low down, lying eighteen year old goddess.

She smiled at him, which made him smile against his own will. He quickly shifted his face back to neutral. She didn't seem to make note of it.

"Hi!" she whispered happily.

He groped for a response. "Hi." He said, feeling incredibly lame.

"Come in." She murmured.

He nodded and shuffled inside, slipping off his trench coat and hooking it on the coat rack nearby. He turned around, ready to jump into his already planned third degree questioning, but then she jumped up onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. It knocked him back a step and forced an off guard chuckle out of him.

His arms closed around her tightly. Maybe she wasn't all that bad. She couldn't be, if'n she felt so soft and sweet all up close to him. _No!_ He insisted to himself. _Stop touchin' on her, it's distractin'!_ Jayne reluctantly set her down and walked past her, further into her living room.

"It's so good to see you!" She said happily, coming up beside him and taking his bicep into her two tiny hands. Soft hands. Jayne nodded because despite his inner turmoil, it was good to see her too.

"Yeah, it's uh… good, n'all… seein' ya too… darlin'." He muttered, embarrassed but sincere. River hugged his arm.

"How are you? What are you doing here? Did you have any trouble getting to my floor? Was the doorman rude? Sometimes he's rude. Did you have some free time? Did your commerce on Serenity finish earlier than expected? I thought I would only see you after the show tomorrow!" Jayne tried his best to keep focused on his objective but she was askin' so many questions with big(ish) words and it was a bit much to work through.

He frowned a bit. "Well, uh… I'm alright, I suppose. Came ta talk to ya a bit, get some things uh… straightened out. I remembered what floor it was, but… yeah that doorman was kind of a prick. Work went just like planned but we just… landed earlier." He paused, thinking harder. "Was that all a' yer questions? There were a few."

River nodded "Yes, you answered them all."

"Good, cuz I got me a couple a' my own."

River cocked her head to one side, studying him carefully. "Go right ahead."

"When was you gonna let me know that you was only eighteen?" He grumped, crossing his arms across his broad chest and settling her with a menacing pout.

River didn't look much affected by his stare, though she stayed silent for a while. Then she suddenly burst into laughter, which was a tad surprising. "I… it never occurred to me. I'm sorry, I guess I've simply grown accustomed to people knowing about me."

"Right cuz apparently yer famous! And a genius!"

River's laughter slowed as she watched him frown at her. "Jayne, it's of no consequence. Unless the age difference itself bothers you, eighteen is perfectly legal for all activities on the Core."

At that, he let out a huge sigh of relief, which she took as a sign to continue. "And… and forgive me but there was some appeal in seeing if anyone would like me who didn't know of my fame or IQ. Do any of those qualities particularly bother you?" She asked softly, looking down at her bare feet.

Jayne sighed, trying not to notice her adorable red toenails. Truth was, he was trying awful hard to care about the other stuff, that wasn't the age, but it wasn't really flying. Sort of made him proud-like, actually. He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. "It don' bother you that I'm like… old 'nuff ta be yer Pa?"

River cocked a gentle eyebrow. "How old are you?"

"Thirty six!"

River rolled her eyes. "My father is sixty seven. We are certainly not in danger of a relationship with incestuous undertones. He was thirty-eight when he married my mother. Who, as it happens, was twenty at the time. Technically, you are old enough, but I see no age correlation in particular between you and my father. Furthermore, I've concluded that I prefer men older than I. Boys my age… they don't take well to me." Jayne got a strange itch between his shoulder blades to beat the go se out of the last little puke to have touched River. But instead he just stared at her.

"It don' bother me if it don' bother you." He said, twitching his shoulders up in a vague sort of offering. River laughed delightedly and kissed his cheek softly.

Her lips back on his skin was so nice he really forgot if he had anything else to say. He turned his head down and caught her lips. She made the sexiest little noise, surprised and off guard in the back of her throat. It made him real damn hard.

And then he felt her go practically boneless against him, opening her mouth like she had no other choice. He kissed her like he'd been wanting to for weeks. Like he dreamed up on cold nights alone in his bunk. She was just about twenty thousand times softer and sweeter smelling then he remembered. It was intoxicating. He fell into her all over again.

Her small hands fluttered on his cheeks and his huge arms came around her fragile feeling back. He crushed her to him with one arm, using the free one yank up the hem of her flowery red dress and grip her silky thigh. As nice as she looked in the scrap of material, she was coming out of it damn soon if he had anything to say about it. River could feel herself loosing conscious thought, just like the night they'd first met. Her skin felt like live wire running up and down her whole body. It felt impossible that his touches could make her feel so very much.

One of his big hands pawed her over her lacy underwear and she nearly went limp in his arms. Jayne's hand soon found a way inside her underwear and he groaned when he found her wet already. His erection became incredibly urgent. His lips moved down her jaw to her neck as his thumb began work on her clit. She screamed.

River's small hand found its way in between them and rubbed firmly against Jayne's cock through his pants. The merc growled in appreciation. Their eyes locked for a moment that went on for much longer than normal moments do. Their heaving breathe was the only sound in the whole apartment. River leaned forward, bit his bottom lip, and squeezed him once firmly. His eyes rolled back into his head and he lifted her from the ground.

The back of the couch seemed as good a place as any in the haze of their lust and River hopped up onto it when Jayne pushed her back against it. Her arms tangled around his neck and his mouth came back to hers quickly. They broke apart only so that Jayne could tug her dress over her head. Jayne stepped back a pace to admire her. Her skin flushed softly and her hair was wild in the way that only comes from these sorts of situations.

She crossed her legs primly, smirking at him. That earned her an eyebrow raised in challenge. She tossed him a wink and Jayne threw his head back in laughter. He was on her in seconds, tugging her thighs open roughly to settle between them and forcing her torso back just so he could lick a long line up her neck.

"Jayne!" She cried out.

"Mmmmm, baby, say it again." He whispered against the long column of her neck, planting long, wet, tasting kisses all up and down it.

"Jayne. Oh Jayne!" She whispered helplessly. He ground himself against her hard enough for her to feel every contour of his straining hard on.

She whimpered and as her head fell back he fixated on her neck. How badly he'd been aching to mark her. For weeks on end he'd fantasized about making it known that she was his. He found a suitable place, barely beneath her collar bone, over her heart, and bit into it suddenly. He was like an animal.

"Again, say it again." That feeling of being beneath an alpha male returned to her. It was primal, it felt right. The pain was negligible, but the meaning behind his mark; that was what ripped a deep and heady moan from her throat. She appeased him, shrieking his name louder this time.

"**Jayne**!"

The sound of her buckled his knees. The sight of her made him hard beyond reason. The taste of her was cherries. Like freshness and sweetness, tartness and darkness and addiction. Not a single soul can tell you what cherries taste like, because you forget what they taste like immediately afterwards. All you're left with is the knowledge that they close your eyes in bliss and that soon, you have to have more. River called Jayne back to the sensory memory of fresh cherries in the summer sun.

His fingers played with the elastic keeping her panties on her. They were red, which was playing havoc with Jayne's nervous system. He dipped his head to suck at her through the red lacy bra that matched the underwear, both of which should have been gorram illegal. He bypassed the bra only moments later, unable to deny himself the real deal when it was so very close to him. Jayne took a rosy pink nipple into his mouth and licked at her like a sugary sweet. River's hand came up to twist in his short hair and hold him there. She started wiggling out of her panties, barely containing herself at this point. She realized in that moment how empty she felt without him inside her.

After a few frenzied attempts, Jayne solved her problem for her and pulled her under wear down to her ankles in one swift yank. She kicked them away as he undid his belt, tossing it aside. She ripped his pants down, taking his boxers with them. River spread her knees wide, capturing his mouth and not bothering to contain her excitement.

"Tell me what you want, darlin'" He murmured into her ear, his hot breathe sending waves of shivers through her. She could feel him hot and ready on her thigh and she rocked against him to bring him closer. "I want you on top of me, now!" She responded, sounding thready and barely able to hang on. Jayne positioned himself to thrust when all of a sudden a loud and harsh _BEEEEEEEEEEP_ echoed through the apartment.

It wasn't anything Jayne was expecting and he looked at River in utter confusion. She was still dazed with arousal, but she looked as confused as he did. They shrugged it off and he licked his lips, getting back to task. And he was all ready to really get down to it… when that gorram ruttin' _BEEEEEEEEEEP_ sounded off again.

River looked highly distressed and it mirrored how Jayne felt entirely. "What the rutting hell _is_ that?" She said, sounding very put out indeed. It sounded again.

_BEEEEEEEEEEP_. Jayne trying to make sense out of anything but the almost naked girl in front of him was almost comical. He looked around with a scowl carved deep on his features and tried to regain his other motor functions. _BEEEEEEEEEEP_, it went again. This time Jayne pinned it as somewhere by the door. He stared forlornly at the coat rack and begged any deity that there was that the sound was not what he thought it was.

He fixed eyes on his coat pocket and almost cried when another loud _BEEEEEEEEEEP_ issued from exactly that location. GORRAM MOTHER RUTTIN' COMMS!

"Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze!" Jayne shouted at the ceiling. He looked at River forlornly and she looked back with sad puppy brown eyes. He felt practically sick at the idea of interrupting the moment. But, that comm weren't gonna stop its beepin' until Jayne turned it off. As if to affirm this, another loud _BEEEEEEEEEEP_ resounded throughout her apartment.

He heaved a heart heavy sigh and miserably pulled his pants up. River slouched unhappily and hopped down from the couch to find her panties. Jayne thought he might just cry when she pulled 'em back on. He stormed across the room and snatched the comm from his pocket furiously. He saw from the red flashing light that indicated someone was trying to page him. He hit the answer button and practically screamed into the mic.

"WHAT?"

There was a bit of static on the other end. "…Jayne?"

_Gorammit Kaylee! I Will End You!!_

"Yes, it's Jayne! Of course, it's Jayne. It's my ruttin' comm!!! What in the gorram ruttin' sphincter of hell could you possibly want?"

"… Oh nothin' really. Cap jus' wants a word or two."

Jayne almost punched the wall. "Cap'n cin wait till I get back for his god damn word!!"

"… No sir-ee, Jayne. He's real set on talkin' to ya now."

The merc was seething. "WELL THEN PUT HIM ON!"

"Goodness, Jayne. No call gettin' snippity. Here he is."

There was some clatter on the other end. "Jayne? Where are ya?"

"What's it matter?!"

"Uh, guess it don't. Just, did you get those crates loaded yet?" Jayne thought he might have to ask River's fancy brother what it felt like the have an an-yer-rism, cuz he was fair sure his brain was about to explode.

"WHAT CRATES?"

"…You know, crates of supply stuff."

"Why would I need to store those, they go right into the galley!"

"Oh, well I guess that's so. But no one on the boat cin lift 'em up stairs. Sorta leaves you fer the task."

Jayne ground his teeth. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Well… not as such."

"This aint a joke? Yer serious?"

"…Yeah. Why?"

"What the ruttin' hell did ya'll do before I signed on? Just not buy shit?"

"Jayne, I'm thinking as to I don't like that tone. S'yer turn in the rotation for dinner prep tonight. I expect you back by eighteen hundred hours."

"Mal! It's only two right now! You can fuck off for a couple hours until I get back."

There was a tense silence on the other end. "Eighteen hundred Jayne. We eat at seven, as a family. Dong ma?"

Jayne slumped against the wall and slammed his head back against it. He blew out hot air through clenched teeth. "Understood." Before he could blink, the comm was out of his hand and River was standing beside him, back in her red dress.

"Captain Reynolds?" She asked shyly into the comm.

"Yes… whose this?"

"River Tam, sir."

"Ahhhh, Miz Tam. To what do I owe this fine pleasure?"

If Jayne could have decked Mal through the comm he would have.

"Well, I was hoping for a favor. Since you insist on having Jayne in for the night, would you mind terribly if I tagged along?" There was a small pause where Jayne assumed Mal was making his 'huh' face. All considering and such.

"Well I reckon that'd be right shiny Miz Tam."

"Wonderful, we'll be seeing you at eighteen hundred hours, Captain."

"Yep, be seein' ya."

River turned the comm off and ripped the battery pack out before jumping on Jayne passionately. Her legs locked around his hips and Jayne growled ferally. He absolutely would not get interrupted again. For some reason unknown to him, he bypassed the couch and went for the counter. Her bedroom seemed so very far away and the counter was so sturdy looking, and it would have to be for what Jayne was planning.

He pinned River against it kissed her for four minutes straight in some effort to make up for the precious time he'd wasted. During that time the red dress came off once more. When they finally came up for air, he lifted her up and placed her on the counter's edge. Her panties and bra were off immediately. He didn't hesitate to spread her and lean right over to suck on her inner thigh. He kissed his way down to her center and went right for her clit, sucking and licking until she bucked harshly beneath him. It wasn't long after that her light gasp followed by a desperate cry told him that she had definitely come.

He thrust two fingers inside her and continued to work her with his mouth, his erection back in full swing from just the taste of her. With his free hand he undid his belt and shimmied his pants off, still unable to move away from tasting her. She gripped his head, keeping him in place as she came once more, harder this time.

She lay panting in front of him as he climbed up on the counter. She scooted back and he had to just stare at her. She was so beautiful, it moved him. Jayne wasn't aware of just exactly when she'd wrapped herself inside his head so far but he wasn't exactly complaining. Especially not when River raised her legs into the air 'till they were at a 90 degree angle with her belly, then slowly parted them until they rested completely opposite one another. Jayne could only blink. As long as he'd been doing this, he'd never seen a woman that could do that.

His mouth watered and he pulled her right up against him by her thighs. He leaned over and rested his forehead against hers, bracing himself with his elbows on either side of her head. And finally, he pushed into her. He sucked in breathe so hard he nearly choked. Holy-mother-of-Buddha that felt amazing. River screamed in agreement.

He looked her dead in the eye as he started thrusting. The pace was slow, but hard. He took his time building the force behind his movements. River's hands scrambled all over his back, she was restless and completely out of her mind. She'd thought she would orgasm the second he pushed into her, but she hadn't. Now he was taking his time delaying every second until then, keeping her on the edge for what felt like forever. Every thrust closed her eyes tighter and pushed her nails further into Jayne's back.

"Please, please, please." She muttered over and over again, high pitched and utterly desperate. She wasn't even sure what she was begging for. She just knew that Jayne was.

His thrusts became even more forceful suddenly, and just a bit quicker. He was sweating bullets and was only just barely controlling his breathing. Jayne dipped his head to bite at her neck. In the span of a moment, he was on his back and there was little light to be seen through the curtain of River's hair around him.

He pulled her down for a searing kiss as she rocked against him at a fevered pace. He pulled back and could only groan as he watched her face. She was biting her lip her eyes were clamped shut, he'd never seen such an honest reaction to what a girl was feeling. She placed a hand on his chest and used it as support so she could rock harder and faster against him. "How's it feel, huh, baby?" He whispered, gripping her hips and guiding so she went up and down as much as back and forth.

She had no words for him, only a high pitched moan and a gasp. Jayne's head feel back on the counter and moaned at how she felt around him. The air around him was charged, any second now, there would be lightening. River came down extra hard and both of them screamed in ecstasy. She felt her whole body engulfed with some flooding passion beyond description. Jayne shouted himself horse with his own bliss only moments later.

They stayed suspended in that feeling for a long time before River crumpled to Jayne's side and dragged in enormous breathes of air. Unconsciously, she curled herself into him. Jayne was only half aware of it but still wrapped both arms around her. The air around them felt still, almost solid.

"Wow." Jayne said, almost mindlessly.

"That's an accurate interjection." River whispered back.

Jayne chuckled. "Inter-what now?"

"Interjection, a term of grammar that… you're teasing me aren't you?"

"Got no idea what yer meanin' ta say." He said smirking.

River slapped him lightly on the chest and curled further into him. "Hun dan."

"Hey now, no need fer name callin'."

She chuckled. "Why? Am I injuring your self confidence?"

"Oh yeah, I'm right wounded."

"Let me kiss it for healing purposes." She said, dropping a sweet kiss over his heart. Jayne smiled a bit.

"I think I like me these healin' purposes." They both laughed and snuggled closer. Staying like that for as long as they could, they chatted softly about nothing in particular. It was a long time before they could really even move let alone get themselves off the counter. River winced as she sat up. Her back felt rather out of place.

"Ya'llright?" Jayne asked.

She nodded with a small smile. "My ninth and tenth vertebrae seem to have shifted an infinitesimal degree, both in opposite directions."

"So… in plain human English, I guess that means yer back's outta wack." She gave him a look that said not to tease her, but after a moment nodded and reached behind to try and rub at the spot.

"Lemme get that." He muttered, batting her hands away and rubbing firmly at the spot she'd been trying to reach. She sighed and relaxed into him. Strange that it was only at that moment it occurred to her that she was naked. River blushed and crossed her arms, shivering when she realized there was no blanket to cover them this time.

"Cold?" He asked, working wonders for her back. She nodded. He rubbed her arms and hopped off the counter, swinging her up in his arms playfully. She laughed and swatted at him.

"My legs are perfectly functional, Jayne. I require no assistance, thank you."

"Jesus, do all Core folk talk like you?" he replied, putting her down on the couch and looking around for a blanket.

She chuckled. "I do not believe that is the case, no." Jayne stumbled into his discarded boxers and quickly slipped them on, still foraging for a blanket.

"So… why d'ya talk all complicated?"

"It's the way I've always talked. Do you… find it unpleasant?" She said with a hint of insecurity.

Jayne raised an eyebrow at her, then quickly shuffled away to avoid her gaze. "Not in perticuler. Jus' wonderin' 'bout you is all."

River shrugged and hugged herself tighter, it really was a bit drafty without any clothes on. "Well, like I said previously, I've always talked like this."

Jayne looked into a closet and smiled when he saw a store of blankets. "That got somethin' ta do with yer genius brain?" River smiled at him as he lumbered over, arms full of blankets and sat down next to her on the couch.

"That would seem the most logical explanation."

"So what's that like?"

"Pardon?" She said, spreading out the thick yellow blanket he'd handed her and curling up next to him under it.

"Bein' a genius… how's that treatin' ya?"

River giggled at the absurdity of such a question. "Actually, it's not that interesting. A little lonely, even."

"How d'ya mean?"

"You are quite full of questions, Jayne."

"True 'nuff." He said evasively, running soothing fingers through her hair.

"Why?"

"Why not?" He responded childishly.

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

Jayne huffed. "I aint avoiding nothing."

"Double negative. Therefore you are avoiding something, which I deduce to be my question. And so I say again, why?"

Jayne glared at her in irritation. "Woman, like I done just said, I'm just wonderin' 'bout you. When one of the crew on my ship knows more 'bout you than me through the gorram Core rumor mill, a man'll get ta wonderin' is all. Now simmer down."

"Oh." River said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. Oh."

"Who knew about me?"

"Companion what operates outta the ship. Inara."

"Inara Serra?" River asked with intrigue.

"Uh… yeah."

"Oh, it's been ages since I last saw Inara. She's been on a transport ship all this time?"

"Guess so. How d'you know 'Nara?"

"She was very kind to me once. My parents sent me to a Companion House when I was younger, to see if I could be trained as one."

"What?!" Jayne said, eyes wide.

River looked confused. "They sent me to a training house."

"Why in the hell for?!" He looked alarmed.

"It would have been a great honor had I been chosen. Not to mention vastly convenient for my family."

"They wanted ya to be a hooker?"

River's eyes widened and she laughed loudly. "I hardly think a hooker and a companion are the same thing."

"Well where I come from getting' paid to sex someone is just the same by any name."

River tilted her head to study him. "Really? Fascinating. I think though, that we'll have to agree to disagree upon this matter, Jayne. We come from different backgrounds. In the Core, this would have been a good thing."

"…Damn."

River giggled, she couldn't help it. "Well, a good thing for my family at any rate. I had no desire to be a companion."

"Don' blame ya."

"Inara was the trainee who interviewed me. I explained my feelings on the matter and even though I was qualified and it is Guild Law that she must report whether someone is qualified or not, she reported falsely and let me go on with my life. We were good friends for quite some time. She came to my performances when I was first in the company, she visited quite often even. She got along with Simon famously. But some time ago she disappeared off world. I had thought she went back to Sihnon, her home world, but when I tried to contact her there, she was gone. I'd always wondered where she'd disappeared off to."

"Well you'll see her tonight."

River beamed. "That will be most welcome. She was very dear to me once."

Time passed quickly after that. The unlikely pair of ballerina and mercenary used up their limited alone time with conversation and a healthy amount of kissing, before it was time to dress and depart. River once more donned the red sundress and Jayne reluctantly traveled around the apartment to seek out his variously strewn articles of clothing. Once dressed, they exited River's apartment and made their way down to the docks to board Serenity.


	5. Meet the Ship

The Remington Docks were located in the southern part of Capital City. It came as something of a shock to River to realize that even having lived her entire life in said city, she had never, in fact, been to the docks. Her father had his own private launch pad and shuttle garage, thus there had never been any need.

This, River was discovering, was a terrible shame. The docks practically seethed with life. Every five feet something new and interesting popped into view that she would loved to have studied to greater extent. As it was though, Jayne maintained a firm grip around her waist and steered her expertly through the thick crowd. A vendor called out to her, offering some exquisite bronze jewelry. River really might have entertained the notion of stopping but Jayne would hear none of it. 

"Why can't we stop and take a look at the plethora of goods being offered?"

Jayne chuckled derisively. "I conjure yer playing fast and loose with the term 'goods', darlin'."

River laughed despite herself. "I disagree, some of these products are quite charming."

"Well alright, next time we're down here I'll buy ya an ice planet but none of that jewelry I seen ya eyein' up. It may look shiny but I'll bet my manly parts you'll end up with tetanus the second you let that luh sah near yer skin."

River let out a shocked laugh at his dry humor. She slapped his chest lightly and they laughed together. They walked through the throng of the market until finally they hit the boardwalk, where the ships were locked into their ports. Jayne spotted Serenity way down the line and pointed her out to River.

"That's her. Serenity, the firefly I crew on."

River squinted and admired the older ship. She stood out against all the flashy new ships and cruisers parked near by her, but River liked her just the same. She had a perplexing shape, almost bird like. As they got closer, River could see her better. The ship rose taller above them and River took in everything she could. From the battered look of her metal to the slight misalignment of the port thruster. The ballerina slowly exhaled in wonder.

"She's lovely."

Jayne shrugged. "Guess that's so."

River's awe was not swayed by his calm acceptance. They came right up to the open ramp while Jayne just clomped right on, but River stopped short. Jayne turned to give her a quizzical look. His ballerina found herself at a crossroads. She most definitely wanted to continue her exploration of the ship, but she was overcome by a sudden case of nerves. Nerves were strange and foreign to River. She hadn't had nerves since her first recital at the age of two and a half. She wasn't always good with people, and in more ways than one she continued to be surprised by how good she managed to be with Jayne on a consistent basis.

"S'wrong, darlin'?" Jayne asked, looking around for any physical entity that might be causing her distress.

River sighed. "I shall put this in basic terms, I think. I find that… oh, go se. What if they don't like me?" She murmured.

Jayne cracked a wide grin. He thought it a bit silly to be nervous about that. It wasn't like the crew was his for real family, and for that matter, it weren't like they was for real sweethearts neither. The kind that took to seein' each other regular, like with steady dates and dinners. They was just folk, friends really, who liked to sex and spend time together. It did not occur to Jayne that that was a perfectly suitable definition for 'sweethearts'.

"No worries on that account princess. They'll like you plenty. Fair sure they'll like ya more'n they like me."

River laughed. "Unlikely."

"Ac'tually, quite likely." Jayne insisted, beckoning her towards him.

River blushed and extended one delicate dancer's foot fully in front of her, setting it down gently on the aging ramp way. Then came the other foot in the same manner. Jayne considered her carefully, confused by her expression. As she came level with the first wall of the airlock, she laid a gentle hand on the smooth metal there, ghosting across the worn surface almost… politely. She smiled to herself and continued up the ramp at a quicker, yet still leisurely, pace.

Jayne had never seen not a single person experience the cargo bay like River. She spun around with her mouth open like a kid surveying his very own candy store. "It's so big." She whispered. "From the outside, it doesn't look so cavernous. But she is more than she seems."

"The ship?" Jayne questioned, looking at her strangely, though still fondly.

"Oh yes. She's exquisite. Brilliant, actually, in her simplicity." River smiled shyly. "Like someone else I know." She said with a pointed look and a wink. Jayne chuckled in that way that reminded her explicitly of the activities they'd been engaging in not an hour ago. River came forward to take Jayne's hand and he led her further into the ship. River's eyes widened as she started to take in every miniscule detail.

"Jayne… I think I might leave you for this ship." She said jokingly.

"Lord knows it'd be a step up." Said a familiar voice from above them.

Jayne sneered at the Captain, who had appeared on the walks above and was making his way down the many flights of stairs down to the deck. "Hello, Captain Reynolds." River said with a gracious smile. "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

"Weren't no trouble Miz Tam." Mal said, reaching the bottom of the stares and walking over to shake her hand. "Bet you'll want the full tour."

"Oh yes, please!" River agreed enthusiastically. 

"Right then." Mal said, clapping his hands excitedly and offering her his arm. Jayne rolled his eyes. Cap was always a tad too eager to show off his ship. Not that Serenity weren't a bit of shiny, just maybe not accordin' ta every soul in the verse. River slipped an arm through Mal's but turned to make eye contact with Jayne and ascertain that she was still doing the right thing. Jayne smirked. That was just cute as all hell. He nodded a bit and made to follow the pair.

Mal raised his eyebrow at Jayne. "Where you goin'?"

Jayne frowned. "Around the ship?"

"No such of a thing, yer headed to the galley."

Jayne scowled. "I'm what now?"

"Going ta the galley, whip up some food. Fresh supplies in there and everythin'. Well, they're under the stairs, ya still gotta carry them up." Jayne let out an irritated growl and glared at the Captain.

River frowned. "Then let's view the galley first. We can see the rest after dinner." Mal shrugged, but looked a little put out, which Jayne found odd. He was probly plannin' on interrogatin' River as to what she was doin' with a hun dan like him, the mercenary realized. The fact that without even breakin' a sweat, his girl had foiled Mal, made Jayne grin a bit.

"Sounds shiny, darlin'." Jayne trotted back down the stairs and ducked under them to pull out the large wooden crate resting there.

It was pretty big, maybe around 3 x 5 feet and roughly 4 feet high. Now he could see why no one else was able to get it up to the next level of the ship. River's eyes widened.

"Shouldn't he have help? It a very large crate and--" River cut herself off as she witnessed Jayne heft the entire box up into his arms and then walk backwards with it up the stairs. "Oh my." She muttered softly to herself. 

Mal sighed and nodded. "Yup. S'why we keep him around. Well… that and the deadly aim." River cocked her head to the side and studied him. Aim? She pondered over what that could mean.

Jayne got up to the top of the steps, forehead beading just slightly with sweat, and River fogot about anything else except him. He was quite an exceptional specimen of the male variety. She took a moment to just admire the swell of his biceps and the curve of legs up to his broad, strong back. She almost sighed but stopped herself. Jayne caught her eye and blinked confusedly for a moment. Her lustful glances had caught him off guard. But after a spit second he winked at her and put a little more flex into the arm she could see.

Mal remained unaware of the entire exchange and walked along at a lazy gait in Jayne's wake as he turned to go to the galley. River remained just about a half a step behind so as to get the best possible view of her lover's backside. No, they certainly never grew them like that in the Core.

The galley was bright and cheerful. Small purple flowers blossoming on curling green vines wound their way around the whole room. It made River smile. In the way that she sensed many things she wasn't supposed to, she laid her hand on the wall and felt an echo of the love and care the flowers were born of. The aging wooden table gave off a similar feel of camaraderie. The whole ship sang to her of family.

It made her think of Simon and of her parents and suddenly she found she missed them.

Jayne set the box down carefully by a set of metal doors that River suspected led to a pantry of sorts. "This here's the mess hall." Mal noted, stating the obvious.

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Thank fer clearin' that up." He muttered. 

Mal turned towards him. "Whad'ya say Jayne?"

"Need a crow bar ta open the crate."

"Really? Sounded like--" 

"Said I need a gorram crow bar."

Mal looked cheerfully confused. "Right then. I'll go run tell Kaylee." 

The Captain moseyed over to the other door that led away from the galley and shouted at top volume through it. "KAYLEE!" 

"WHAT?" A female voice shouted back seconds later. 

"Need a crow bar."

"What fer?"

"What's it matter what's it fer? I told ya I need a crow bar!"

"Settle down, I'll be by in a second."

"One Mississippi…" He said warningly.

"Alright, alright." There was the sound of many metal tools clinking about and sliding against each other. A girl a bit older than River came jogging down the hall a moment later, cow bar in hand. She breezed right by the Captain and tossed the crow bar to Jayne who caught it one handed.

River examined her carefully. She had bright, cheery brown eyes and a sweet smile. She was pretty for being covered in grease and wearing unflattering coveralls. Kaylee smiled at her brightly when she noticed River standing there.

"Oh! Are you River?! The ballerina?"

River nodded. Kaylee held out a hand which River took and the older girl excitedly pumped it up and down. "I'm right pleased ta meet ya! Never met no professional dancer a'fore. Never even met no folk form the Core, really, save Inara."

River smiled at her. In an instant, she knew who had drawn the flowers on the walls and who made the ship a home. "It's lovely to meet you." River said genuinely.

"Yer stayin' fer dinner?" 

"Yes, the captain has already approved."

Kaylee's smile widened. "Shiny!" She said.

Jayne hid his grin at the pair of them by turning away slightly to pry open the box. It was strange, but in some way, it pleased him ta know they got along. He couldn't pin why but Jayne supposed that maybe he was glad because it made things less complicated. Some deeper part, way down, though, whispered that maybe it was more like because yer crew became yer kin after a while. An' everyone liked when their girl and their kin got along.

Jayne threw the top of the crate to the side and began to examine the contents. His jaw hit the floor. That was not what was usually in their food crates. Mal looked at him curiously and wandered over to see what the fuss was. River and Kaylee continued to chat happily in the background. "What's up?" Mal muttered, coming level with the box.

Jayne just pointed and Mal's jaw hit the floor too. "What?" He whispered.

"How?" Jayne whispered back.

"Maybe a mix up in shipping? Like some fancible rich politician's got our protein and we got this?" The Captain offered, now smiling widely.

Jayne laughed to himself. "Some mix up!" Jayne had his own theories about where such decadence had come from but chose not to say anything out loud.

"Really!" Mal agreed, perfectly willing to accept that this was all some happy mistake.

In the crate was everything Jayne ever pretended to be eating when he was shoveling down more protein mash. There were fresh vegetables; lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, peas, rice! Everything. And fruit too. Peaches and pears and strawberries (Kaylee was gonna flip) and _cherries_. Three bags full of just cherries. Jayne actually had to close his mouth so he wouldn't drool all over everything. 

There was meat too, off towards the corner of the top under packs of ice. Steak and once Jayne took a closer look, bacon and veal. This was like Christmas, Chinese New Year and his birthday all rolled into one. Jayne plucked a cherry and a strawberry from their respective bags and wandered over to the pair of girls now talking animatedly about the mechanics of an engine. Jayne silenced them both when he held out a fruit to both of them.

River smiled at him in that way that practically melted off his knee caps, taking the cherry and popping it into her mouth gratefully. Kaylee though, she gasped and looked at him in wonder. She snatched the strawberry and practically mouth-sexed it, her eyes closing in rapture. A funny notion occurred to Jayne just then. That it might be a bit strange, for him anyway, to be more affected by River just smilin' at him than by Kaylee gorram near creaming her jeans over a strawberry. River had gotten him semi-hard with once glance, Kaylee just made him chuckle, more than anything.

Once she'd absolutely ruttin' experience every last damn inch of that strawberry she opened her eyes again. River was giving her an amused look.

"Where d'ya even get one those, Jayne?" Kaylee said hoarsely.

"Check out the mix up the delivery guys made." He said eagerly, jerking his head in that direction. Kaylee and River moved over and while River just nodded, looking impressed, Kaylee squealed with joy. Right ruttin' close to Mal's ear, which he glared at her for, but she took no notice.

"Jayne is that lamb?" She said, rifling through the box. Jayne peered closer.

"Sure as gorram hell is!"

"Run-tse duh fwo-tzoo, real flour! And sugar!" Kaylee was actually bouncing.

"What's all the ruckus?" Wash's voice echoed down the hallways from the direction of the bridge. He and Zoe entered seconds later. Kaylee held up a fresh green pepper.

"Look!"

Wash mimed enthusiasm. "A pepper?! Good Buddha to have delivered unto us a pepper!" He said over dramnatically.

"You aint gonna be jokin' when ya see what's in the crate." Mal said, leaning against the wall and smiling.

"What is it, sir?" Zoe asked.

"A peck of pickled peppers?" Wash guessed cheekily.

"See fer yerself, oh non-believer." Kaylee said, stepping aside so the married couple could observe for themselves.

Wash sure enough stopped looking like everything was a big joke. "Ai ya!" He exclaimed. Zoe remained mostly stoic, except for the curl of her lips into a half smile.

"Who do we have to thank for this?" She asked slyly.

Mal shrugged. "Probably some green-horn delivery boy over at the docks."

Zoe laughed. "Rare bit of life when fortune smiles on us."

Mal smiled fondly. "True, true. An' Jayne's in the rotation for cooking tonight." 

Wash rubbed his hands together, much in the style of an old cartoon villain. "Excellent!" He whispered feverishly. Everyone laughed, even River.

Wash turned and noticed the new laughter. "Well hello." He said extending his hand towards her. River shook it and then turned to Zoe, shaking her hand as well. 

"You Jayne's River?" Zoe asked.

River smiled beatifically. "Indeed, I'm Jayne's River." Jayne smirked and threw an arm around her.

"Damn straight." He said arrogantly, kissing her temple.

Zoe's eyes sparkled with silent laughter and Wash openly stared at Jayne confusedly. "Well, only beauty ever could tame the savage beast." He murmured to himself, though everyone heard him and began to laugh.

"I aint tame, little man!" Jayne said, throwing a quality death glare Wash's way.

"I should say not." River agreed softly, her lips tilting up slightly in an intimate smile. Wash looked a little grossed out and Zoe raised an eyebrow in Mal's direction, who shared Wash's general discomfort. Kaylee sighed dreamily. 

"So," Zoe said, breaking any residual tension in the room. "What's for chow?"

Jayne shrugged. "Dunno, whach'yall want?"

"Oh… Maybe…"

"Whatever's easiest… unless…"

"You always maybe could try for…" 

"I think it's a good night for…"

"Stir fry." Inara said, speaking what everyone else was thinking as she entered the room.

"What a good idea!" Mal and Wash exclaimed in unison.

Jayne rolled his eyes. He knew that everyone loved his stir fry, but for some reason none of 'em could ever bring themselves to ask for it straight out. Never the less, he knelt and began rummaging in the crates for the ingredients he would need.

River smiled at Inara warmly, who returned the favor. 

"Mei mei," Inara greeted, holding out her arms for an embrace. River stepped forward and hugged her.

"It's been so long."

Inara nodded. "Too long." The companion replied.

They both took seats at the table and began speaking so quickly in mandarin that Jayne caught only one word out of every three. Jayne shrugged, figuring womenfolk would be womenfolk and set about to cookin' up the stir fry.

It was I little… nice… actually hearing River's voice while he cooked in the galley. Next time he got to missin' on her out in the black, he'd at least have this memory to call himself back to. Not that he did that sort of thing… well, a lot anyway.

He was concentratin' on River's voice so much, that he barely noticed when Inara came level with him over at the cooking station and started to fix some tea. Her presence so close made him remember he had a theory he'd like to test out.

"Quite a stroke o' luck all this food is an such." Jayne murmured in her general direction. Inara cast him a sideways look and nodded.

"Quite."

"Hard to even find that much stuff round the docks let alone pay fer it. Someone'll be awful fussy if'n they figure out where their shipment went to."

Inara nodded, continuing her preparation of tea.

"Wonder who had 'nough authority and all that to get the whole damn shipment in one crate, since usually they come separated."

Inara's hands stilled momentarily over the tea leaves. She sighed lightly.

"So you know."

"Figure I'm the only one."

"That's just as well."

"So…" Jayne lowered his voice to barely above a whisper, but still appeared busy. "Why?"

Inara smiled. "I know Mal, and I know River. It was incredibly likely that if she asked to see the ship, Mal would let her. And I just… I wanted her to have the best time possible her first time here. In a selfish way, if you continue seeing her, I do as well."

Jayne nodded. "Yer a right sneaky one."

Inara smiled and laughed a little. "I think I'll take that as a compliment." She said.

Jayne grinned. "Good choice."

It was after dinner had been cooked and served and eaten and enjoyed that the real tour of the ship began. Ever eager, Kaylee had pulled River into the engine room and explained pretty much how the whole damn thing worked. River, bein' the genius that she was, managed to ask Kaylee some really pertinent questions, to which the mechanic responded in full detail that gorram near put everyone else in the room to sleep. At least, Jayne figured it was because River was genius, cuz he didn't know nobody that knew that much about engines just offhandedly.

The tour continued downward, past the vacant and rarely used infirmary and paused in the common area. They all sat for a spell, digesting and chatting. River and Kaylee were getting along famously, with Inara smiling warmly at the two women she basically considered sisters. Even Zoe, it seemed, was taking an unlikely shine to the young ballerina.

Jayne couldn't help but feel an inkling of pride. She was doin' everythin' right. Laughing at the Cap'n's jokes, humoring Kaylee's engine talk, politely inquiring about Wash's experience's in flight school. She just connected with all the folk around her. Jayne was almost approaching a feeling resembling some sort of sadness that the tour would be over soon. All that was left was the bridge…and maybe a bit later his bunk.

Jayne's eyes bugged out. His bunk. The very same quarters with nudie pics still hanging up and dirty clothes and such every which way. Well, that wouldn't do. Jayne cleared his throat. Mal looked his way.

"I'm gonna hit the head, be back in a jiff." Mal frowned and Jayne didn't blame him. _A jiff?_ This mode of verbal suckage he seemed to be stuck in around River… when they weren't sexin' anyway, really needed to end. Still, Jayne hoisted himself up off the couch, squeezing River's hand as he left.

Jayne even went so far as to head in the actual direction of the bathroom until he was out of sight and then doubled back along the upper catwalks towards his bunk. He unlocked the hatch and dropped down expertly.

The second his feet touched carpet he was a whirlwind of cleaning power. The dirty clothes got shoved into the laundry shoot first, then he quickly straightened out the bed and the surfaces. The nudie pics were unceremoniously ripped down in one fell swoop, damaging most beyond repair, before he considered the sink… pondering how much time he had before he was expected back and out of nervousness, gave it a quick scrub. The guns on the wall were already polished and nice lookin, although Jayne gave a moment's pause as to whether or not she'd like 'em there. But in the end, there just weren't enough time to hide 'em proper like (that is to say without roughin' up their polish or their finish) before it started to get weird that he was bein' gone so long.

Jayne huffed in resignation and took a vain look in the mirror to check his appearance. He grinned. Handsome as ever, if he did say so himself.

He was up and out of the bunk in record time. Then he stealthed his way down the staircase and onto the lower catwalks. Once he had walked back around the middle level, he casually slowed himself to walking pace and descended the stairs back into the common room. He felt sneaky and spy like. The whole crew plus River was laughing at some joke Wash had been telling. His girl smiled up at him as he entered. He smiled back.

"Well, River, I reckon the only thing you aint seen is the bridge." Mal said, apropos of nothing. She nodded just the same. Wash clapped his hands excitedly.

"Well come on, let's go."

River and the pilot got up and the rest of the room followed suit. The whole gang trooped up the walks to the upper level and then past the crew quarters and onto the bride, which was ruttin' tiny with so many people crammed in.

Jayne realized in a detached sort of way that there was really no reason for anyone cept' Wash and Riv to be in there, because everyone on the ship had been on the bridge more than ten times each. And for that matter, there was no need for the rest of the crew to have followed anyone anywhere, because the same was true for the rest of the ship, they did live there after all. But even as he thought about it, he reckoned that that didn't matter none, on account of it was still a fun group activity.

The merc frowned a tiny bit when he realized how many fun group activities he excluded himself from. Not that he really regretted it, per say, and that wasn't to say that he didn't join in on some activities. But there was a definite portion he just distanced himself from, not wantin' to get too close to anyone. He made the discovery then, that that was sort of a really stupid thing to do, considering the whole damn lot of them had already gotten under his skin and taken to River like she was his for real girlfriend and he was introducing her to his for real family. Huh.

Jayne shook himself from his thoughts but it turned out that he couldn't understand a damn word of the current conversation mostly cuz it was all technical jargon Wash was spewing at River. The smaller man gestured emphatically to the three switches above the pilot's chair and River nodded fervently, pointing questioningly to star charts and the dinosaurs lines up along the consol, all the while buzzing about vectors or some such other thing. When Wash had exhausted every avenue of explanation about his beloved bridge, Mal sighed in relief. 

"Guess that's about it." River nodded, still glowing from the technically informational session she'd just indulged in with Wash.

Jayne shook his head though. "Nope."

The crew frowned at him as he tugged River by the hand towards him. She landed with a gentle thump, pressed in one long line against him. She giggled and rested her hands on his chest. Jayne grinned rakishly. 

"There's definitely still the matter of my room." He said in low tones, directly into her ear. She shivered. "Ya'll fell free to stay here fer that."

Mal made a disgusted noise. "Don' worry, I will."

Jayne didn't even spare him a glance as he led River down the hall and to his hatch. He kicked it open gestured for her to walk down. As she grabbed the ladder and began her descent, Jayne looked up at the semi-shocked crew and tossed them a jaunty wave and salute before winking and jumping down after her. Jayne landed noiselessly beside River, who was very intently studying his room.

Her eyes currently fixed on the guns displayed above his bed. She tilted her head as if to study them from another angle.

"So you are Mal's assassin then?" She said, frowning at him and crossing her arms under her breasts.

Jayne frowned and fought not to get tetchy. "How'd you figure?"

"You keep your whole arsenal in arms reach, Mal says he keeps you around for your remarkable strength and aim. You pulled a gun on Mal for sneaking up on you while we had that wave conversation. Which means that one: your first instinct is to shoot and two: you always have a weapon of some kind on your person. A man as large as you should be heard coming a mile away but you move like a cat. You have… scars, hundreds of them. None noticeable at first glance, but they're all there, knife wounds and bullet marks. Where else would you get them? What else would you be on a smuggling ship like this?"

"We don' smuggle--"

"Jayne I'm not an imbecile. This is a Firefly. Any ship between class codes 03-K60 and 03-K70 have every nook and cranny a smuggler could dream up to hide stolen goods. I… I don't have a problem with it. Generally speaking the Alliance doesn't do nearly enough for the Rim planets and so someone has to get the goods out past the Core. There's no love lost between the Alliance and I. That's why I'm not going to tell anyone about the ship or the fact that two Browncoats run it."

Jayne stood stunned. "How…?" 

River smiled in a worn way and tapped her temple with her index finger. "Genius."

Jayne exhaled loudly and let out a startled laugh.

"Just be honest with me. Are you an assassin?"

Jayne shook his head, frowning. "Aint no assassin. I work as a hired gun fer Mal, keep the crew safe." 

"You're a mercenary. Synonym, same thing." She said angrily.

"Aint. Assassins is high profile work, lot more pay, and a lot more dangerous cuz yer killin' much more important people. An assassin is what I used to be, in the war, now I'm just a garden variety merc." Jayne explained.

River didn't stop frowning. "What side did you kill for in the war?"

"Both." He grunted, highly uncomfortable. And somehow unable to tell a pretty lie to her just to end the conversation like he normally would. 

"And Mal let's you work on his ship?"

"Mal don' know. Best he don'. Never really killed any higher ups on his side anyways. Browncoats paid better, more willing to fork over illegal goods like medicine and such."

River sighed and sat down on his bed. "You kill people for a living. Ironic." 

"S'pose that's so." Jayne muttered, fidgeting nervously.

River sat for a long time, staring at Jayne's shoes, though he didn't think for a second that that was what she was thinking on. She looked up at him eventually, staring him dead in the eye. She looked troubled.

"I… still really like you. It's troublesome."

Jayne smirked a bit. "Heard that one a'fore."

River laughed. "I can only imagine."

Jayne smiled and sat down next to her on his bed. He put an arm around her and she cuddled into his chest. "This is strange." She said after a beat.

"What?"

"You and me. We… we're so very different but I find… I find I like you better than any other man I've ever been with."

Jayne was absolutely thunderstruck by her admission. This was definitely the Jayne Cobb cue to push her away and run as fast as he could into someone else's arms. But he found he was comfy where he was. It damaged his calm a bit. He also felt that maybe this would have been someone else's cue to return the sentiment, but Jayne was not so far evolved as some who could just toss that kind of thing out there without some thought behind it. His way of communicating that he felt similarly was to nod at her. And in some strange, uniquely River way, she looked up at him with intelligent brown eyes and he could tell that she knew what he'd meant.

"Maybe you could teach me to shoot a gun sometime." She said, breaking their silence.

Jayne laughed heartily. "Sure baby. Sure."

By mutual decisions they laid down on Jayne's narrow cot on their sides, curled into each other. They stayed that way for a very long time.

Occasionally they kissed, but mostly they talked. River talked about her early years, growing up. Jayne talked about various jobs, some during the war. They talked until it was time to walk River back and even as they held hands and strolled back, they still whispered to each other. 

River's apartment complex loomed ahead of them and Jayne pushed down a sigh. At her front door he spun her to him unexpectedly and laid his lips on hers passionately. The doorman just inside the glass sliding doors turned away out of embarrassment.

River gasped in surprised. Jayne cradled her face in his large and hands and tried to put into the kiss what he had been unable to say earlier. When he pulled away he rested his forehead against hers. The air was cold enough so that their mingled breathe became a cloud between them.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said softly. She smiled dreamily.

"Yes. Your tickets will be waiting at the door. Under the name Cobb."

"Thanks. Go--" River pressed her lips to his suddenly, silencing him effectively. When she pulled away she was smiling.

"Don't say good luck. Good luck is bad luck in the theater. Tell me to break a leg."

"Why in the hell would I want you ta do that fer?"

"It's just what we say. The leg is metaphorical. Because good luck is bad and vice versa if you tell me to break a leg I will dance supremely well." She said, with a tiny giggle.

Jayne shrugged and sighed like he was quite put upon. "Alright baby. Break a leg. But don' break no real one."

"Noted."

Jayne laughed at her. "Night." He said, with one final, gentle kiss on the lips.

"Good night." She replied. And they parted ways until the morrow.


End file.
